The Lunar Chronicles: A Collaboration
by sinrad
Summary: A retelling of a story of an how an ordinary Lunarian brought back Yuyuko and Keine back to Gensokyo through sweat and trauma. There will be two-parter in this story after the first part is done.
1. Intro

O

PROLOGUE

"It's springtime! It's springtime, everybody!" some anonymous person shouted out loud in the vernal skies. It did not seem to affect anybody sleeping in the vicinity; it is only 5AM. The sun rises from the dawn sky, and everyone rises along with it in the magical and phantasmal land of Gensokyo—a region concealed away from social interaction, and protected from the outside by an impenetrable border. However, that border's impenetrable nature is still in question, as various reports by Aya Shamemaru suggested that a man was dropped into this magical land a day ago. Fortunately, he posed no danger and was escorted to Human Village. Far away to the bamboos towering towards the sky, a physically young girl strutted out of a small wooden hut. She has the longest bright paper-white hair that one can ever imagine, with small red bows tied to the segments dangling forwards. Her attire is a tan shirt, and exceptionally baggy red pants which is held intact by suspenders. She then shuffled into the bamboo labyrinth in search of her Yakitori stand. Since she occupies there every day, she found it flawlessly. As she jumped into the so-called kitchen area, she found a post-it note with her to-do list scribed on it.

FNM's To-Do list for the Thirty first of March,

Gather chickens and execute. Done

Set up for Vernal Campfire Social, party starts at dusk.

Tell Lyra to print some flyers, and try to invite her. Maybe tell her to bring some "europeen" food. Alcohol will suit it.

Tell some personal stories during the session.

End

She can already tell that it will be a hectic day. She reconciled her mind to prioritize her day. She then turned her head in the sound of footsteps approaching. She met her friend whose dressed in a super lengthy blue skirt, similar length blue hair as Mokou, and has darker red pigmented eyes. She is carrying a Japanese book on Japanese history, and seems pretty content today.

"Happy vernal morning…" The girl in blue sniffs in the fresh air and exhales, then she makes eye contact with Mokou.

"It's a blast, isn't it?"

"It sure is… So… What are your plans for today?"

"Well… It's a pretty big day today… Setting up a feast tonight or a gathering if you wanna call it that."

"That sounds pretty intriguing. I have to head to the school."

"School? It's Sunday!"

"I know it is Sunday… But some students decided to ruin my weekend by failing the unit test on Friday. I got to go and monitor them meddlers and provide test corrections. Or give them a nice head cleanse!" She knocks her head.

"Well, I am going to walk with you to the village."

"Why so?" The two started to stroll towards the Human Village.

"I need some fresh pine logs for a campfire. Besides, I get to talk to you in the process."

Mokou and Keine both traversed through the bamboo labyrinth, and made it into the bustling human village of 255 permanent inhabitants. The two stopped in front of the wood stand. Mokou then obtained some planks of firewood for a low cost. They then parted for the day with some "see you later" exchanged. Mokou went the same way back, but this time she went towards the marble structure with a metal door on one side—the door which almost 90% of inhabitants of Gensokyo don't know how to open because they rely on sliding screen doors. Mokou has an understanding on who lives down in the underground complex structure. She then pushed down on the cold metal lever, and right away, she noticed something queer. The door is usually locked all the time, but not now. She then flicked the switch, which caused the whole stairwell to brighten by the fluorescent light tubes. She then went downstairs as the main door slowly slammed shut. The then opened the entrance door to the house. The hallway was pitch black, with the exception of the lighting behind her, and the red LED clock mounted in top of the living room door frame. The girl in question was in the room left of her. Through the window, it was completely pitch black. Assuming she is sleeping, she banged on the door as loud as she could until

"Alright! I get it!" A startled voice came a-shouting from the inside. The stairwell lights automatically turned off, making Mokou act as if she is completely blind. Then, lights within the room then slowly faded on. The door opened to reveal Lyra, the Lunarian who is a refugee from the moon about a hundred years ago and managed to live here. She has her regular attire on, consisting of a white lab coat with a T-shirt within, and simple denim shorts. Her hair, although it is messed up, is long, but not as long compared to Keine and Mokou. Her hair is pigmented in a navy hue; she has the front dangle too. Her eyes are a little bit paranormal. Her iris contains metal pigments, when reflected on a very bright day, it amplifies her eyesight, and the reflection can certainly blind people if they stare at it for a prolonged period of time.

"Wow… your hair…"

"It's my bedhead. What do you need?"

"I am having a campfire social tonight, and I need to use your contraptions to make some."

"Oh! I can certainly help with that." Lyra walked over to her laptop and powered it on. While it boots, Mokou walks around the otherworldly room full of English classic books, Shakespearean plays, discs, and other miscellaneous material she has not seen in her life. As the laptop boots into the Windows operating system, she opened up Word to construct her flyer. Mokou then told her the commands of what to put on there.

CAMPFIRE GATHERING  
sundown to midnight  
Party, tell some stories, feast, and have a gay old time!  
Inquire Fujiwara no Mokou for invites.  
Meet in front of the Yakitori stand.

Mokou seemed pretty satisfied. Lyra then made some prints and Mokou grabbed them happily.

"It's magic!" She exclaimed.

"Well, thank you, I will post these in Human village." Mokou said before she parted off. But, she then comes back…

"Hey, do you mind if I invite you to the gathering?"

"Sure! I'd be glad!" Lyra said with her heart's content.

"One down, some more to go… Well, see you tonight."

"Bye."

The door closes and Mokou leaves the complex.

Lyra then took out a whole stack of synthesis essays that she is obliged to grade for her English class. She felt saved because there is no school for her tomorrow.

Mokou then retreated back to the Human village, and posted the flyers on the bulletin boards all across the region. She then arrived at the school to post, and to hear the rambling of Keine yelling her head off as she tries to civilize the delinquents.

"Poor Keine…" She said as she left the school with a good tempered mood, while Keine is having some ill-tempered episodes of hollering. She went back to the concrete under-house to pick up the firewood, and traversed back to her other domain. She sat it onto the ground and left it there for the downtime when she went back to relax in her hut.

After two hours of yelling for Keine, resting for Mokou, and grading for Lyra, Keine's test correction session was finally over. She wiped the sweat off her head from all the exploding anger and stress. The students ran out quicker than the speed of sound. Keine did not even notice. She packed all of her stuff and left. On her way out, she caught her eye on the flyer.

"Sounds pretty good… Wonder if Lyra joined…"

She precedes heading back to her home, but she forgot that idea when she found the marble house. She knocked on the door in a ¾ time signature beat.

"It's me! Keine!"

The door then clicked and opened. Keine stepped down the stairs, into the complex, and hung a left into Lyra's bedroom. She saw Lyra furiously fiddling with a red pen on a tower of paper with many manuscripts on it. Keine then lied down on her soft bed and exhaled in relief.

"My day can't get worse than this…" Keine said she rests comfortably.

"Tell me about it." Lyra said as she flips through the pages of her student's essay.

"It's my students… They are just terrible troublemakers… My headbutts won't work against them, as if they were immune!" Keine complained.

"My problem? I have to take the pleasure to grade the essays." Lyra places a completely graded essay packet with a big fat B on the DONE container. Keine became curious about what it is. She closed in to see the grading process, which involved Lyra writing commentary, carets, triple lines under letters, and the grades. But, what she is more intrigued about is what is next to her. It is a book with no title, and it seemed to be handwritten by her as she skims through.

"Please don't read that."

Keine gently closed the book.

"So, are you going to the gathering?" Keine asks.

"Yes, I am. Are you?"

"I am not sure, can you invite me?"

"Sorry, that is up to Fujiwara Mokou. She has the authority to do that. But, assuming that you two are friends, chances are that you will be invited." Lyra said as she sat aside the small pile of ungraded papers.

"What is the matter? You seem tense…" Lyra spotted.

"Oh, sorry. It is just me… I have been yelling my head off today… Ugh… I have some headache now…"

"Drink some tea, some caffeine can cure it. Some hot tea is on the coffee table in the living room."

Keine then went to the living room, which is out the door and to the right. She grabbed for the cup of tea still emitting steam. Keine felt euphoric when she drank the tea. For extra warmth, she then lit a standard phosphorous match and started the fireplace. The extra warmth makes her simulate a winter log cabin. She then grabbed a classic book written in English—a book about two strange apparitions haunting two children-and starts reading it for her enjoyment. Consequently, the book made her bored quite quickly. She went and flicked on the TV, but all it's there was is the color bars, since the broadcasting area in the UK is off air—it is highly illegal to have communication from the outside world, and somehow, with the help of Marisa, she managed to bang up an antennae and make it work with Marisa's magic. Somehow, she got to the recording menu, and accessed her special list of recorded shows that all have the name "SEINFELD" in there. Keine started watching Seinfeld quite lately as she comes to this complex and watch it after school days, and she refused to disclose her motives outside of the house as this can pose a culture shock and hazard. She then spent the rest of her day slacking on the couch and watching the telly, until the doorbell rang. Keine rushed to jam the power button on the television, but all tension was gone when Mokou showed up. She came to request some marshmallows for roasting, and Lyra showed her to the dining room, which is a part of the living room. She got out a bag of marshmallows from a local supermarket in Milton Keynes.

"What is that bag of white puffs…?" Keine inquires.

"Why, these are marshmallows. I have heard they taste real good when roasted. I am going to give it a try. So, are you coming to the party?"

"Sure, I am able to tell my histories."

"Super. Now we got two. It is four in the afternoon, so, do you friends want to help me set up?"

"Sure, we got time." Lyra added.

"By the way, how do you go to the outside world?"

"Via spells. I constructed a spell card that can take me anywhere in the outside world."

"Where do you go most often…?" Keine said.

"Greater London."

"Where we used to live?" Keine get Lyra tense.

"Please stop asking me, I feel like we are being surveyed by some apparitions, and I would get executed If I was caught." Lyra settled with a worrisome tone.

"Ok, I shall stop talking. Let's go camp." Keine concluded the conversation before they head off. Lyra then quickly kept her logbook with her. The light automatically turned off, and the door went banging shut behind the three. They slowly trail to the campsite, where a fresh aroma of yakitori fulfills the air, and the campfire burning in the naked spring atmosphere. They stayed there, unloading the tray of yakitori, and basically pacing around until the dusk arises. Once the night falls, the moon becomes visible for the wandering eye. The moon was round as it can be.

"Look at that staggering rounded moon… It makes me nostalgic!" Lyra uttered while lying down on the grass.

"Yes, it sure is exquisite to have this view."

"What do you think, Keine?" There was strangely, no answer.

"Keine?" Lyra got up, and saw Keine, frozen like the statue of liberty.

Then, she starts to shake and convulse heavily. She tries to speak, but it was illegible to Lyra and Mokou since her whole body is shaking. Her pagoda hat popped off of her head, and her iris changed into a very bloody red pigment.

"I get what is happening." Lyra concluded.

"On a full moon… The special transformation happens." Mokou recites as Keine's shirt turns green, along with her hair.

"What is happening to me…?" Keine said as her transformation nears completion.

"Oh… The usual once in a blue moon scenario." Lyra said as Keine grows horns on her head.

"There we go. Introducing the… devil…?" Lyra acted with some hint of stupidity.

"Yeah, right. I am no devil." Keine said, but with a deeper toned voice than usual.

"Hakutaku." Mokou said.

"Well, looks like us three are the only ones attending this "feast."" Lyra emphasized.

"Hmm… Well, it's better than just me alone. Here, is some yakitori. It is piping hot, so don't burn yourself."

"Smells… really aromatic."

"And convincingly delectable!" Keine said as she shoved the whole content down her throat. Yes, even the bamboo skewers. As they enjoy the delicacies of yakitori and then marshmallows, they proceeded onto the storytelling portion.

Mokou's story was about an hour and thirty minutes long. It was quite suspenseful and compelling to Lyra and Keine, as they were both very intrigued and interested. It was basically all about the history of herself, and her relationships with Kaguya Houraisan—the bitter enemy of her—and how they wanted to kill each other every time they see the whites of their eyes. She also mentioned the Hourai Elixir, which is the magical elixir that grants immortality to the one who choose to ingest it.

Anyways, Lyra's energy seems to be lacking. Keine was reluctant to start her story, but she did anyways. She talked about how she met Mokou, her times on the moon with Lyra, and how she became a history teacher. When it is Lyra's turn, she can speak, but she got extremely exhausted in the middle of her anecdote.

"You seemed very… tired… Go home, get some rest. We can wait till tomorrow afternoon."

"Thanks. Good night…" Lyra tiring said as she sulked home.

"Wow… I never knew she can get that tired…"

"I know, she must rest anyways, she is exhausting her bodily functions." Mokou said, then she laid her eyes on a small book that Lyra took with her.

"What is that…?" Mokou went for the book, and Keine demanded to glance at it. She flipped the pages, and it was all handwritten by Lyra. The first page said.

JOURNAL

THE LIFE OF LYRA: A NARRATIVE  
(How I escaped and arrived to Gensokyo + Yuyuko and Keine's side chapters)  
+

THE GENSOKYO STORIES  
(Personal anecdotes by various people in Gensokyo)

1930 - PRESENT DAY

"Open it! We can finally read what she is trying to hide!" Mokou gets all edgy and excitable.

"Let's have a read…" Keine said as they open up to the start.


	2. Daily Life

I

THE DAILY LIFE

It was always the vibrant morning sun shining through the window that masquerades as the alarm clock on an everyday basis, as I stand up; I see the usual stony walls, and the doors that are right next to the wardrobe. The window provides quiet a pleasant and distant view, since this house is located dead in the suburbs, the sense of isolationism always appeals to me, due to the opportunity of solitude, I can appeal to conducting sedentary and light hobbies in the outside environment in serenity. The house was pretty darn small, I'll tell you that, but ironically, the front lawn was large enough to fit two football fields next to each other. In the distance, it is just plains, plains, and some rolling hills. The sky is just black; the only brightness we get is only from the sun. During the time, which is 1930, the city of the Western Capital was growing at an indescribably alarming rate. Skyscrapers erected here and there, and the downtown is flowing with middle class businessmen frolicking to and fro as if they were young juveniles. However, in the suburbs where I live, you take a step outside, and you couldn't hear squat. That is right, it is so spacious that your voice echoes to great distances when you yell loud enough, and all you can hear is just the grass dancing with the wind. Luckily, I have the habit of hygiene, which is brushing teeth. During this time period; shining smiles tend to be… let's say, negligible, since practically a trace of citizens can't afford toothpaste, that said population relies on a sodium bicarbonate rinse or a home remedy to make their teeth shine at a magnitude of Sirius B—the alias of the brightest star in the night sky.

The grandfather clock down at the living room, in juxtaposition between the two couches, clicked a few times, and then uttered the eight-o-clock work bell. The bell is the cue for me to finish all my routines in a hurry. I have to make a ruckus out of the wardrobe to dig out my teaching attire. As I meander out the door, the fresh morning scent in the atmosphere invigorated all my senses. I proceeded the stone sidewalk, and onto the cobblestone that swerves and twists into the downtown. To me, it looks like a vast distance away, fortunately, downtown is just about five hundred meters away. Whenever I try to get to work every day last school year, I tend to sprint, since to my eyes, the downtown is way too distant to be perceptible to my seeing organs. I work at the Lunar academy, which is a mega campus—several square kilometers large—serving students ranging from Kindergarteners to the eighteenth graders (senior year college), to prevent harassment and bullying by age, the facilities were segregated to the respectable grade ranges. Postgrads—mostly graduated historians-even arrive to this alma mater to renew their precious degrees that they obtained by toil, sweat and determination.

Anyways, enough with the informative talk, my occupation is a high school English Composition and Rhetoric teacher and I have been for a quite considerable amount of time. The main focus is my class is to train students to write and speak at a level comparable to a professional lawyer, as a metacognitive comment, I have done a pretty good job teaching over the years. As I enter the metropolitan, the buildings just stupefy me. As I walk with the crowd of business men, the scene was a concrete jungle. There were financial buildings, banks, offices, but I have to put that aside as I have a duty to fulfill at the Academy. The feeling of nostalgia instantly hit me once the campus ground was visible. The lawn was colossal, and it is still all in gothic architecture. Before my day unfolds in my day before break, it is a routine to go to the coffee shop across the street and chat. During the school year, this coffee joint is a hot spot for students doing their homework and studying, and teachers as well. It is mostly plagued before and after school. As I enter the commutative café, students were sitting at desks with their fellow buddies. Some graduates of my class even greeted me in a fashionable way. I requested a cup of espresso to the clerk, and it was instantly brought to me. The warm and sharp aroma of coffee cures all of my morning problems; as I take a sip, it gave me the cloud nine. But all that is interrupted when a hand was placed onto my shoulder. I turned back, and as my memory recalled, it was Keine Kamishirasawa, the college history professor. She was dressed as in usual, blue long skirt, red bow ties, and has the longest hair you'd ever seen. I have known her for around three decades in this school. She sat down on the opposite side, and ordered a cup of coffee as in regularity.

"So! We meet again. Are you ready for this winter break?" Keine said with much content and eagerness.

"Always ready. I always incorporate some bona fide into my priorities." I said with intense confidence. I then finished the cup of coffee, and took a glance at the clock. It was a quarter past fifteen, and classes start at forty-five.

"Don't hesitate on being late. It's thirty minutes before start!" Keine uttered while I was surveying the time.

A few minutes later, students flooded out the door in order to attend their first day. Yet, I was frozen there wondering about something that I forgot by the time I wrote the manuscript.

"Hey, you. Stop wasting time!" Keine slapped me out of my trance, and then I realized that we were kind of… late. Us two busted out the door, dashed across the busy street flooded with a current of businessmen, and into the huge atrium of the campus. We parted to our individual sectors of the schools from here on out. The classroom is still the same old room that I used to teach-third floor, and has windows. As I arrive to the room of knowledge, it has a sense of me entering my secondary house. The chalkboard was clean as ever, and smooth as ever. The seats were aligned beautifully. Keine, on the other hand, teaches at a lecture hall that can house up to 400 students. When the start bell rang, a full house of different faces fulfilled the seats.

…

As a result, it regressed to boredom after 3rd period. But things quickly got escalated during 8th. But, at least, the day was over, and it's a Friday before as well, Hurrah! Us two—Keine and I—met back at the coffee shop and discussed about our day.

"Oh, it was just a regular day for a lecturer… What about you? You look concerned and worried." Keine said.

"Me? Well… Something strange happened during eighth period. It's quite queer to me."

"Is that so? Tell me, I love a good anecdote!" Keine anticipated the story, so I told her the anecdote.


	3. Counseling Yuyuko

II

COUNSELING YUYUKO

What exactly happened in Eighth period was quite queer, but I can explain quite clearly. It was preceding the start of 8th period, and I have one of the strangest occurrences. There was a new student here three weeks ago and she is well… beautiful on the outside, but as I can feel it, she might have felt really let down as my senses can detect. As the students of my year flood in, a strange aroma of cherry blossoms wafted throughout the room. Everyone throughout the room was invigorated by it, and then the mystery girl casually walked into the class. She had indescribable beauty; she wears a full teal dress, a same colored long skirt, and finally a teal colored hat with a red logo in front. Most of her beauty is contained at her facial portion. Her maroon eyes are a jewel, as well is her pink hair. She then slowly sat in her desk with some apprehension, and sat her backpack down. I then began teaching, but what made it challenging recently since she came, the boys and other students have been acting a bit odd around her. Some drooled, and some gave a… demonic and queer look to her. Well, I seemed to formulate proper evidence, that is, she is the number one in the class with 98 marks, and people envy her mental capabilities. The other odd remark is that she never spoke, not even once. I shouted out to get their attention, and finished the lecture with twenty minutes to spare. Then, I gave them time to outline and plan their upcoming essay assessment accordingly. I gave them the liberty of working in the hallways. Almost three quarters of the student worked in the walls; even the mystery girl whose pseudonym on her notebook says "Erin Steele." As I venture out the door, the girl seemed to be working in isolation, while others are clustered around discussing about various topics.

"Get to work." I warned them. Some seemed to obey, and some seemed to doze off. But the mystery student is working extremely proficiently on her plan. I went back to the class and plan out my day.

I then dozed off during until there are 7 minutes remaining in class. It was a loud and metallic bang from the lockers. Since it was the first instance, I shrugged it off and assumed that someone was mad and slammed the lockers shut. But then, thirty seconds later, several louder bangs emitted from the hallway. I quietly walked out the door and peeked to the left of the class. What I saw was highly rare in school but, there was the new student, forced against the lockers, and being surrounded by condescending bully-like classmates that is pushing her back against. I had in instinct of danger, and I can see by the look of the girl's face. I never thought I can do this, but I resorted to my spell card. I quietly walked out of the room, and without them knowing, the spellcard worked under my command. The group of boys was under my control and my eyes glowed white. I made them walk back into the class like brainwashed zombies, and they were- under my control. The girl was petrified and shocked at such predicaments. The dismissal bell rang, and I disabled the spell from the brainwashed victims. They were dazed before they rushed out the door and home. Then, the mysterious girl held my hand, presumably in gratitude.

"Come in, we need to have an intervention in private." I said to the mysterious girl, then, when the classroom and the hallways are empty, I took her into the classroom, and closed the door.

"Take a seat, and move it up to the desk so we can discuss." She grabbed a chair and slid it over to the teacher's desk with a horrifying screech that almost blew my ears.

"That was painful. So, let's get real serious here."

"What is your real name?" I questioned

"I am Yuyuko Saigyoji…" She introduced herself in the sweetest voice imaginable.

"Yuyuko… Yes… So, tell me. Where are you from? You don't look like a native lunarian."

"Well, I am from Gensokyo. It is a mystical place on earth, and I am a refugee from wars there."

"Interesting… Now, in more current terms, tell me, why are you so silent, and are you so down?"

Yuyuko gathered her thoughts as the analogue clock kept on ticking away.

"People just… discriminate me because I am way too smart for them. They sometimes make very cruel jokes about me, and my native planet. They try shoving me, punching me around painfully, in general, they just favor abusing me because the way I look. The worst part is that boys, especially, try to raise my skirt."

"Wow, I'm kind of getting sick with the lewdness around here…"

"Well, here is the thing. Somebody destroyed my textbook by writing and ripping out the pages. I have to pay 28 pounds in cover it, and I don't have much money to do so… What should I do? I don't want to rob someone!"

"Do you know who the robber is? If so, I can file complaints."

"No, I was at the bathroom at the time, and I was new to this school! Teachers did not care about my personal problems, until you managed to step up, which is very generous of you…"

"Well, I can read feelings of people, so that is why I know you were having depressing days."

"Oh yes. I was actually impressed where you had the spell card and controlled the bullies into the room… It was quite heroic of you to save me… I never knew Lunarians can have spell cards!"

"Well, that was proven." I obtained another spell card that was the same as the one that I used. I slid it towards Yuyuko.

"Here, if you are in trouble with someone, you can take over their minds completely with this." I said while Yuyuko grew a smile while she took the spell card. She has a very charming smile.

"This is too excellent and generous… I have never seen teachers give me stuff like this before…!"

"Well, you do now." I gave a smile.

"So, I feel a little better, but I don't want to remember all the physical threats… That twenty eight pounds, and my debts… I just can't afford it…" She complained.

"You know what…" I got out my wallet, and laid out thirty five pounds to Yuyuko…

"You… are giving me your money…? Isn't that being too generous?" Yuyuko complained.

"No! Not at all! I teach here! I get my salary! I have around 800 in the bank! So, I will give you the 35 to reimburse your textbook. Also, keep the change." I said as she took the money with glee. She then erupted into gracefulness, and started praising my bounteousness.

"So, is that it? Did I resolve your issue?" I verified.

"Oh definitely!" Yuyuko cheered with the money.

"Here is the thing, if you want to cover your beauty, get a brown paper bag, cut out two holes for eyes and wear it for the day. I hypothesize that will work."

"I don't know, but I can try. But, it's spring break! I don't have to worry!" She said with her upmost sanguinity.

"Well, I guess that wraps up the intervention. I thank you for your time here." I said.

"I thank you for the money and the spell cards." Yuyuko said as we shook hands and exchanged hugs. She left the room blissfully, and only I to reflect on what the hell happened. She looked so innocent, I tell you. The clock was still a-ticking away, and it reached four forty-five. I turned off the lights of the classroom and left the campus. I can see Yuyuko dashing to her house, while I head to the coffee shop to engage socializing time.


	4. Socieital Collapse

III

SOCIEITAL COLLAPSE

"What a story… But, why did you give her the money?" Keine reviewed.

"Oh, I have a lot in my bank." I replied back.

"I see. You know, If out government screws one thing up, we are toast! The volatility is incredible!" Keine said as she finishes her cup of coffee.

"Oh, I doubt that."

"What was the girl like?" She went on a steep tangent.

"She was very vibrant; she has blossoming pink hair, and a face that redefines the word Beauty."

"Well, I never had ridiculous stories like you… Mine is just every day, standing in front of over 300 students with six blackboards to my back."

"That is because you are a college professor… It's a lot more fun to be a high school teacher."

"Well… I guess you could say that…" Keine thought about it.

"I'll probably think that one through. But, I have to go." She grabbed the mug and returned back to the clerk. Then, as she approached the door, she turned back and uttered a formal goodbye before she headed to her flat—which I know the location and room number by heart. She lives three buildings after the intersection of Campus and Hampshire; it is on the left side of Clark. She lives in room 104, which is enter the building, go straight, hang a right, and second door down on the right. See? That is stalking.

I prepared to leave the shop, but before I do, I have a routine of picking up a hot off the press newspaper. But this issue of the newspaper is startling me a little.

"PRIME MINISTER STEPS DOWN DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS (17:02)"

"COULD THIS AFFECT OUR PLUMMETING ECONOMY?"

"Wait… No prime minister, plus a falling economy…" I formulated the impending crisis. I burst out the door immediately and headed to the finance building—where my bank is located. I ran through the downtown labyrinths, since it is two kilometers away, I found myself beat when I found the entrance crowded with people wanting their money back, they rabble-rouse, holding up picket signs that say they what their money back. The place is equitable to death for claustrophobes, since the crowd is moving at a pace of a dying slug. I tried to squeeze, but the progress was bugger-all. I have realized that this will take hours to get my money, but with the stocks plummeting, that would soon be a catastrophe to the people. People are coming out of the bank, demoralized and broke… Does that mean I will be near bankrupt as well? I have to see…

Oh, Christ… After 3 agonizing hours in claustrophobia land, I finally made it into the main building. This means I have to catch an elevator that go to my bank—which is on the 44th floor. The elevators are extremely busy, and most of them are near the capacity threshold. I went into an open elevator full of desperate investors and citizens. It made a couple of stops before it got to 44 (The building has 68 floors.) Again, I have to re-experience the act of waiting in a crowd. But, this time, it went by a little faster than the entrance. But the negative thing is that they are closing for today, and luckily, I was the last served.

I asked them to withdraw all my money out of my account, but when she said the amount remaining in my bank, the dialogue hit me in the face similar to a brick at a speed of 100 mile- per-hour fastball. She gave me the 11 pounds out of the 800 remaining, which is a turn of the screw... I walked out, wondering where the rest of it has gone, I pray to the heavens, but obviously that does not work in the slightest. I caught an elevator, and went down to the main floor. As I walk out the bank, I was in a blue and greyish mood, my head was down. I strolled around downtown and back to the campus. As I look around, the coffee shop is closed, and there was a piece of paper saying that it will be closed… forever, starting next week. It was an abhorrent sight to see my gathering place where I communicate jollily close down and demolished by next week. Sigh… When Keine said…

"You know, If out government screws one thing up, we are toast! The volatility is incredible!" That is what Keine said, but I doubted it, badly. The outcome is that I had to admit she was right her statement was outlandish to me, but the validity came to me… I have inherited the wind. As I walk east of Campus street…

"Hey, Miss Lyra…" Yuyuko greeted me as I walked down the deserted road.

"Please, call me Lyra. No need for the miss." Says I, pessimistically.

Yuyuko then examines my facial expressions. "What is wrong… It's the complete opposite of what happened during the day…"

I dared to say it. "My money… they flew away to the universe of the great unknown… I can never retrieve it back," I said as I placed the money in my hungry, hexagon patterned wallet.

Yuyuko felt a sense of depression as well. She then took out the change she received for the textbook and brandished it in front of my face. "Here you go; here is your change… You said to keep it, now I am convinced to return the favor."

I gently took the money and thanked her. "I thank you for your reciprocity," I raised my head and saw her gorgeous face winking at me. I half-smiled.

"Looks like we are mutual now…" Yuyuko said before she left to her house. My mind changed gears to operate on determination and optimism. As I run east to my house, I slowed down when I got to the intersection of Campus and Center. The sense of fear and melancholy filled the atmosphere as I enter the most dangerous area of the city, and with no prime minister… It is basically hell. I quickly ran off, but that is all interrupted when I tripped on a dead carcass on the sidewalk. The blood was oozing, and was everywhere on my shirt. Before I proceed, a leather wallet was sitting in the pool of cold blood.

When I opened it, and… Bugger all. I wasted my time.

Dashed out of the place so I don't get suspected by dangerous psychopaths, As I exited downtown and made it into the suburban fields of moon grass, I slowed down and took in the sense of serenity. I slowly walked past the first three houses, enjoying the solitude and slowly trotted back to my house. But, before I did, my mailbox has some news waiting for me to look at.

I back-walked to the mailbox, and there was only one enclosed envelope with a red seal. Strangely, it was from my school. Once I ripped it open, the words on the letter deliberately slapped me in the face.

"If you receive this letter, which means you, the one who are reading, that means starting JANURARY 10, your occupation is revoked. You will receive a monthly salary of 1 pound and 60." [Sic] I went into a rage and denial fit, and I don't care if people in other houses think I have Asperger's or any other mental illness. I want my Job back and to be paid at 20 pounds a month just as before! Bloody hell… What hath this bloody city gone to in an instant? I ran the though my brain, but there was no feedback on how should I act… Should I strike? Protest? Even Riot…? I don't know… I then found a latest newspaper issue; it said that a house in the Campus and Central region was burnt down by arsonists, so crime will be expected to rise here… All I know is that I am beat to the extreme, and the ground is started to darken. Tomorrow is the weekend, and it is Christmas Eve. I have to allocate some time to meet Keine and discuss about the crisis, and think about how tomorrow can be ruined in any possible way. I unlocked the door and opened it to the place where it all started my perfect can't-go-wrong morning. The grandfather clock between the couches reads seven fifteen, and ticks away. The door closed, and I took a glance at the erected Christmas tree in the room.

"Just think about how bad this Christmas is going to be…" I said while looking up at the top of the tree, in which I erected a magical glowing star on the topmost spoke of the tree. I prepared myself an old fashioned omelette for supper before going to bed.

The day was too brutal for me to cope.

_"So that is why when I asked her how her days were on the moon, she did not answer…" Mokou said._


	5. Stranger Danger?

IV

STRANGER DANGER?

I tucked myself into the comfortable bed with the drapes and blind shut tight. At night, all you can see in the bedroom—with the lights off—is just the color black. It functions similar to a blindness simulator. Basically, there is nothing to do than to just sleep to the sound of clocks ticking.

It was a very comfortable night as usual, only to be abruptly interrupted by some damn bastard knocking on my door. I stood up dazed, and the dawn was beginning to rise, as defined by the windows. I could see a little bit of objects surrounding me, but due to my partial night blindness, there was no help… Unless I flicked open the lamp beside the bed. The knocks then turned into pounding, and I am obliged and reluctant at the same time to answer it. With all this crime happening, chances are, it might be a no good rogue by the looks of probability. I slowly went out to the staircase with my jammies on. I prayed to myself and probability, and then opened the door. It was quite queer… It was Yuyuko… but this time, I can smell soot and ash coming from her shirt, and she has 4 brightly glowing butterflies of various hues that greatly enriched my vision thanks to the chromic irises I possess, and they were pretty bright as well. I can tell that she's had a disturbing night, judging by her emotions and her face. But… How does she know where I live, was it a simple stroke of luck?

"What happened…?" I asked her while the cold air blows in.

She was too afraid to answer. To aid her, I dragged her into the house where she can be warm. The butterflies seemed to follow her, and one of the blue one landed on my shoulder, and gave me a rush of energy. My posture then was immediately erected, and I felt like I had four mugs of espresso. I was not expecting it to do that, I thought it was going to murder me.

Yuyuko looked at me gracefully and at the butterfly. "It shows my gratitude when one of my butterflies does that to you." She retrieved the butterfly back and it disappeared. The light was gone, but it was turned back on when Yuyuko flicked the switch.

She then apologized: "I'm sorry to be such a bother waking you up early in the morning..."

"No need to be sorry. But, what exactly happened…? "I asked.

She was reluctant to say it. So I decided to accommodate her in the meanwhile. I sat up some tea on the living room table, and sat on the sofa.

"Come and take a seat on this sofa." I said to Yuyuko, who is frozen in a trance. I yelled out and scared her accidentally, and I did not mean it. She did not resent, but she did sit next to me and grabbed the cup of tea. Since I have lots of time, I started another conversation about hers and my problems.

"So, are you now comfortable enough to confess?" I asked.

Yuyuko looked around and out the window where the sun is gleaming in. "Well, at lease no one but you can hear it… It must be a secret to you, and maybe Youmu and other Gensokyo inhabitants who I trust."

"I am pretty sure this will be a great anecdote to tell 'round the campfire!"

"I guess so…" She became jittery and nervous…

"Are you comfortable telling it?"

"…" she was shaking, and I can see Goosebumps on her hand.

"Is it really cold in here…? I'll turn on the furnace." I went to the furnace, and flicked it on. But, it did not turn on as I expected. I kicked it with hard force, but I assumed that the furnace is just same rattily components of metal, but I bit the dust and injured my foot—in addition, I cursed a bit—as I kicked the furnace, and, which appears as a two tonne of solid iron.

"Well, the heater is not working, and I injured my left feet which is another turn of the screw."

"There is no need to turn on the heat. I'm hungry… There are no ghosts here to eat…"

"I have something that can satisfy both of us." I hopped on one foot into the kitchen. While I grabbed four eggs, I saw Yuyuko playing around with a player piano. She grabbed a piano roll. She did not know what it is; all she knew is that there is a mysterious slot. She slotted the paper in, and the piano played The Entertainer by Scott Joplin by itself. Yuyuko claimed that it was a ghost, but I said to her that it was all mechanical. The atmosphere was smooth and jolly by the ragtime, and Yuyuko was a little eccentric around the automatic piano, thinking that it was possessed. I then fried up some omelettes, and the aroma of the culinary creation wafted all over, giving us two a desire to crave. But, unfortunately, there are the last eggs I got in inventory, and with the economy jumping off a cliff, I can only imagine how the marketplace is going to be… I brought the finished and piping hot omelette onto the dining room table. Yuyuko already had a knife and fork in hand, and she looked really furious as her cravings kick in. I seemed to forgot my silverware, so I went back to the kitchen, and heard plates clattering and the sound of chewing. I realized a fatal error and I was stupid enough to fall for that. I looked back, everything on the plates are gone.

Yuyuko smirked innocently while sitting on the couch. "Hehe… I told you what I mean when there are no ghosts to eat… Sorry about that!" I rethought my plans, but I am going to bite the bullet, I am obligated get food from the dangerous society… I will risk, ultimately and potentially, my life. I then held a pledge.

"Do you mind staying here?" I asked Yuyuko, who is apparently fiddling around with glowing butterflies.

"Yes, of course!" She agreed.

"Alright. Just don't touch anything that will break easily." I got on a suit and pants of a businessman, and then walked out of the house. But, before I did, there was a letter.

FROM: KAMISHIRASAWA, KEINE. 23R CAMPUS ROAD, ROOM 104, 2E F21

TO: LYRA, 4L GREENE ST. 6S 204

I ripped open the envelope, and the scrap envelope flew and blew with the wind. All that is left is the notebook paper where Keine wrote on.

"In the nighttime, I really don't know how to explain it. Necessary clarification is needed to recall this event. Estranged people are dispersed outside my house. Eccentric behaviors observed in them. Though, the people are really loud and they shout across the street. Otherwise, they would smoke some pipe or cigarette. Terrifyingly, I saw one go into a bloody fist fight. Another one was observed today morning, and it was a kid. Lastly, the maniacal guy was arrested for the charges of abuse and extreme drunkenness. Killing people isn't the answer…

Though, I have not heard about the problems in the neighborhoods. Other ones as well the central district, or even our own campus! Young people lived here for a long time. Ordinarily, they were friendly and socialite. Unfortunately, once bad influences plagued the city, the mood took a turn of the screw. After and after, crimes have been reported in my neighborhood quite frequently. Before all this crap, people went by and greeted each other. Otherwise like now, people started having knife-fights with each other as rivaling people come by. Ugh… Then, I saw a really horrifying thing. Some person-who was pissed, starts having a bloody brawl with a helpless woman. Overcoming it is quite a difficult objective to accomplish. Mind if I tell you what happened to me? Especially that one time I was tied. They are trying to tie me to a brick wall with nothing supporting. How does that justify the word smart? I instantly escaped with a couple of scratched. Nothing can beat that level of stupidity of being caved. Good thing I did not get killed like the reckless people before, I hope you enjoyed this..." [SIC!]

I was standing there, and going "What the hell is she up to…!"

It was the most otherworldly letter I have seen. So I can conclude that Keine loves to write ransom notes! Damn! That was really ridiculous!

But I was wrong until I flipped the folded part open.

"Note: Look at the letters in the beginning of the sentence!"

I was completely fooled; it was a cipher all along.

I grabbed a pen and circled the first letters of the independent clauses, and what do you know? It said something less maniacal and ransom.

"I need to talk to you about something." That is what it deciphered to, a simple, short and sweet independent clause that is not a gruesome paragraph!


	6. Personal Problems

V

PERSONAL PROBLEMS

Well, I trusted Yuyuko as I left the house. As I enter downtown, the sounds of industry echoed throughout the concrete jungle with some jackhammers, clings and dings. When I arrived in the most dangerous area of Campus and Central, it was a dangerous area, since now it is completely renovated with stores and businesses. As I perk my head up at the erecting buildings, there are small blots of workers climbing here and there; up and down. Also, not the mention the large cranes, they extend as if it can reach the Earth. My nose got really tingly in this area since it is an industrial zone. I walked out of the area with some mild coughs and sneezes; I looked up and the old houses were still here, there are low income people staring out the window and looking at me. They are probably jealous, but not to be smug. The delinquents are staring at me with a very intimidating facial expression. I shrugged it off and continued walking towards Keine's house. After a moment, I had the feeling that I am being stalked, and someone wanting to kill me for my money. Well I did bring a little money, which is about three pounds. I stepped up a pace in terms of speed, and when I started to run at full speed, I felt a really unpleasant feeling behind my left shoulder, but it did not completely catch my attention of heading to Keine's house. I ran through the central heartbeat of the city, and finally, the flat where Keine lives in appeared. I slowed down as I stepped up the stairs to the lobby of the flat.

There was an elevator straight ahead, and I'll tell you, this elevator is not that pleasant appearance-wise. I pressed the up button, and my ears were assaulted by the sound of the door opening. It was a relentless squeaking and wailing of friction. Anyways, I went in and pressed two. I had to brace my ears every time the door moved. The elevator jerked into motion, and it made small rattling noises as it ascends, then it started to shook, and I feared for my life and prayed if the elevator did not fall down spontaneously. Then, the whole ascending motion ceased with a violent and loud jerk, it make me cringe in fear. Moments later after it leveled the door opened with a slightly dimmer squeal. I quick ran away from the abomination and quickly to room 204. All I feel is tiredness, pain, and warmth from the left shoulder.

The door opened, unusually, it was Keine, but in her alter ego. (AKA Hakutaku)

"Oh, Lyra… Please, come in." She welcomed me into her room, which is basically the smaller imitation of my house.

"What do you need?" She asked me.

"Oh, The ludicrous letter you sent me about ransom stuff."

She laughed loudly," Did you really fell for that?"

"Yes I did, and I thought hell is unfolding outside your house."

"It was not real, it was a joke all along, and a secret message too as I assumed that you came here because of that." Says Keine, lightly.

I turned around to dispose of the notebook paper in which the cipher was written on. I heard Keine gasp in despair, and that made me immediately turn to her.

"Turn around." She said. I obeyed her and had no clue about what is she going to do to me. I then felt the worst pain in the world.

"Hey, easy there! What are you trying…?" I turned back to warn, and right in her hands was a switchblade knife coated in fresh blood.

"I found this lodged in your back… You seemed to be quite injured… Your shirt is ruined as well." She notified me. I took off my lab jacket which I wear on a daily basis, and found a splotch of blood in the back. I found myself in anger due to the fact that the lab coat cost me 60 pounds of labor and determination. Bloody hell…

Keine then took the safe measure of giving my first aid, which perhaps the most painful process ever. I almost had to yell when the alcohol was slathered around the flesh wound. Beneficially, after the procedure, it felt as if the wound never existed. She then got me from the bed to the couch, and that place is where we had some serious talk.

"I have really bad news…" I said

"Oh, what is wrong now?" She replies back with upmost curiosity.

"So you really want to hear about it?"

"Sure, just like Yuyuko's story, I'd love a good anecdote!"

"Ok, here it goes. Do you remember that time you said about the volatility about the government?"

"You mean it is really unstable?"

"Something among the lines of that…"

"Well, after you left, the Prime minister stepped down."

"Really? I really did not know that! Where did you get the primary source from?"

"The Lunar Times. It was a headline in boldfaced Gill Sans font."

"Just like the other newspapers. So, what happened after you found out?"

"I Took notice of my money in my bank, and then in panic, I ran to the bank. Hordes of people are demanding their money back. It was like a dead slug. I was absolutely horrified that about 95% of my money is gone. I used to have 800, now I have eleven." Keine then had a blank, and spaced out stare upon hearing the financial aspect of the crises I had to face.

"Keine?" I snapped my fingers in front of her face. Then she tremored a little before returning to normal. She is still concerned though.

"You only got 11 out 800?" She asked.

"Yes, and that is completely true. I would not lie to you." If I did, I would be beaten badly, I had to keep the lunarian creed of respectfulness and honesty.

"800 is your salary from the academy?" I then nodded as an answer to her question.

"Also, my job got revoked for no reason."

"Wait! How did you know…?" She desperately said, with her red eyes looking directly at me.

"It came in the mail."

"Damn… I haven't checked my mailbox in days!" She then got up and dragged me along out the room, down the stairs and to her mailbox. She got her key and opened the box. She got the same exact letter as I got. Keine then started to freak out and go into denial. She was furious to the point that I was about to take a furious ramming in the stomach.

"I told you this was going to happen."

Keine was about to drip some tears.

"Well, I can't do anything about the government… The government is the government."

She did not like my remark, I knew that when she launched a fist straight across my face. I can feel her emotions and anger being unleashed. Am I offending her? It was not a blatant lie. The cold concrete ground is the only thing I am touching. I was tempted to use my spell card, but since Keine is my friend, I don't want to. It was not her problem that caused the abuse. It was her emotions run amok. She then leaned against the mailboxes in sadness. I don't want to tell her the bank is closed as well, or else she will get real serious and psychotic, and with her as a Hakutaku, my life would be over and end in a bloody mess of scars and flesh.

"Well, my teaching job is ruined, at least I still have my salary in my bank."

That hit me real hard, and I realized that her bank account is the same as mine, and went away like mine. I don't know how she would react to this.

"Come to the bank with me." She then said. I took that as signing a death warrant. But then I softly rejected the offer with a "No thanks… Maybe some other time."

I looked back at Keine, she is violently staring at me while standing condescendingly. She grabbed my hand with asphyxiating force and forcefully dragged me out.

"You are coming with me." She said as she dragged down the stairs. I can't think about how much brain cells were killed as my head collided with the stairs stoops. It was painful and probably diagnosed me with perpetual concussion. As she dragged me along the road in a dashing pace, I yelled stop loudly, but she is too busy dragging me to the closed bank. When the suit corroded away with the road, my bare arm is then rubbing against the pavement. You know what road rash feels like, it burns like Satan's temper, and the pain is the stabbing of a googol (10^100) knives coated with acid. Keine seemed apathetic about it. My skin shreds away along the pavement until it leaves red marks. I tried to let go of Keine, but she squeezed my wrist so tightly that my hand started to numb. The pain had a multiplier of a million since my arm flesh is corroding away. When she got to the bank a couple of agonizing seconds later, she stopped, and still grasped my hand tightly. I left along a blood path and a trail of tears to this bank that is closed. She let go of the grip, and a sudden burst of warmth rushed into my writing hand. She then broke down at the sight of the bank closing. Taking that time as an opportunity to escape, I ran to the side of the building. She then called out to me in melancholic tune. I examined my body; it looked like the elbow and shoulder portion of my left arm was something that is typical of a horror film. My arm had red, almost inflamed flesh exposed to the air, and I can still see the bloody path she left.

"What have I done to her…?" I can hear her emotions change. She started to regret. She peeked around and saw me. I panicked and started to run away, but she called out.

"Come here. I am not harmful to you anymore." She said.

"You vile monster! Look what you've done…!" I showed her the severe wound.

"Oh… I apologize!" She shouted out. I came back to talk to her.

"An apology is not enough to cover the charges." I said.

"Then… what should I do…?"

Us two were at a loss.

"So, how about the bank, see what I mean?" I started question

"Yes… You were right all along…"

"How much did you have in there before it was all gone?"

"I had about 1300 in there. But now, there is just bugger all."

"I'm the same; I just have a little change in my wallet."

"No, don't you know financially what it means to me?"

"What do you mean, financially?"

"I am on a loan service, and I have to pay it off! Since I am broke… I can't pay utilities and loans off! That means the two words that are going to ruin me…"

"Oh, I see." I know the two words, but I kept the promise not to scare her. The two words were Debt and foreclosure. She seemed to be in great depths of denial. She started to vigorously pace around in a small circle, muttering. I then quietly stood there as she paced.

"Next time, don't trust the bank."

"Don't trust the bank? What do you mean by that!?" Keine ran up to my face and yelled. I kept my cool.

"Well there is an old saying of putting all your money in your bed…"

"Absolutely ludicrous!" Keine's anger and emotions seemed to rise exponentially, as if she is going to assault me. I then thought of an escape plan… I quietly walked away as she stuck her face to the glass panes. I then walk out to the empty Campus road; I felt that I am in the clear. I then dashed to gain some distance from her, and I slowed down when I got to the theatre next to the gigantic school where I lost my job. The theatre is giving out free admissions as it said on the "NOW SHOWING" bulletin. It is now showing the famous opera Carmen, and I can hear the soprano's voice from the outside. The song Habanera was playing, so I went in for a while just for the song. After that's done, a blue, shining butterfly went a-flying by me. I did not know what it wants, but it just seemed a bit mundane. I walked past the closed coffee shop, and to the bar, where it is all empty, except me as a customer. The bartender seemed to be quiet and wants to keep things to himself. I ordered a glass of vodka, and spent some time sitting there, drinking it while thoughts circulate around my head. The thoughts seem to arrest my mind's ability to plan. Anyways, my house is just a little bit of distance away. I paid a small fee for the bartender, and he instantly grabbed it out of my hand. Talk about greed… I exited out to the cold, desolate outside that used to be the businessmen street, only to be warmed by the effects of vodka. I walked along the street, still enduring the pain from the road rash. As I approach Campus and Central, it was a whole 'nuther place now. The housing was redesigned, and markets sprang up along the curbside. They are still under renovation, but the old houses were gone. I wonder where the gentrified people went. Well, since everything was refurbished and clean, I assumed that the crime had diminished along. I walked along, and only to be shoved onto the ground mercilessly by Keine, who appeared to be still a Hakutaku and still emotionally enraged. It was as if I am her punching bag, a living punching bag. She then pinned me against a wall, and I had no choice but to take out a spell card and manipulate her mind, she then destroyed it before I had the chance. She began grabbing my throat, and started the process of asphyxiating me. She then bowed down and shown me the two bullhorns on her head. So… I was at the border of dying, and right before she started to dash towards me, I closed my eyes. Then, all was silent, and I am still alive… There was no pain, except from the road rash that is probably infected by now.

"Wait… What am I doing to you?" Keine, back in human form, released me. I still pictured her as my executioner. So, I ran due to the fact that I have no spell cards left, and my danmaku pattern was the worst at aiming.

"Lyra, Come back!" I heard her shouting as I gain distance. I slowed down when I reached the suburbs I live in… But things took a turn of the screw when there are raggedy plywood houses built across the street from my house. In front of the first one, my eyes popped out when I read.

"SITE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING FROM GENTRIFICATION AND URBAN RENEWAL"

That probably meant… Campus and Central! Oh hell no! I don't want to live here with all these delinquent scums!

I went back to the house, which has been suspiciously painted blue on one half and magenta on the other, and the windows were obstructed by the blinds. I sulked to the door, thinking what had gone wrong with me. It is Christmas Eve… I forgot! But, it was generally the worst one ever, and very painful (literally). The turned the knob, and the whole living room was bright as an operating studio… There are a plethora of butterflies! Yuyuko then came to me.

"How was your day?" She said as she accidentally touched the gauze that is discoloured by blood. By this time, i was dizzy, my head is light and aching, and my whole entire arm and shoulder was stinging.

"Oh!" Yuyuko gasped at the sight of the wounds. Then, a swarm of butterflies landed on me. It does not feel like anything when they land on you. I was freaking out. All of a sudden, my pain melted away, my head conditions were completely eradicated, my road rash and stab wound was completely gone, and my energy was rewired back to normal. I never knew butterflies can do that miracle! I guess Yuyuko is by my side now, until Keine decides to rethink what she has done and apologize.

"My token of gratitude." She bowed.

"How do you like the paints?" She showed me a painting on the wall, it is a mural in a shape of a fan; it is her symbol as well.

"Actually, it's better than what I can do."

I went up to the bedroom, and looked across the street. The raggedy houses totally destroyed the calm and distant atmosphere of this area… Since I am mid to high class, and them are low class… That is going to have some problems. Then some of Yuyuko's butterflies started gathering and orbiting me around my presence. Everything is still pretty quiet though, until Yuyuko managed to start playing Debussy's First Arabesque on the grand player piano downstairs. The tense atmosphere was suddenly stripped out of the place by the resonating melody, and the butterflies began to fly more slowly to the music. Then lay myself on the bed to relax and take in the wonderful melody that Yuyuko is playing.

I have never realized that Yuyuko can play piano that well… Well, the piano now has a use instead of a being just a mere decoration. The room started to darken bit by bit, which obviously means that night is rising. There is a slight tension in the atmosphere after Yuyuko's done playing the piano. I am not quite sure about the people who were gentrified here are going to do and what are they going to commit. Oh well… Till sleep time, I just sat there, reflecting. Yuyuko, on the other hand, went back to the piano and played Clair de Lune by Debussy to suit the night. I then went to sleep with that piece playing. Acting as a remedy for sleep aid, I did fell asleep quite quickly.


	7. Turning the Screws

VI

Turning the screws

"Bang! Bang! Pop!"

That is what I have heard when I woke up to the sound of pops and small explosions. The melodic tune has stopped, and the atmosphere just darkened and became very intimidating. I stood up, and can see nothing. As usual, the room was just pure black, unless I turn on the desk lamp that floods the whole room with light. As I move the curtains out of the way, all I see is just idle houses and landscape. There were no people out and about killing each other. It still concerns me though, this place, before all the scums moved in, was a really tranquil place, people living in the area usually can sleep up to seventeen hours straight on the weekends, but now, what was no more. It does not exist no more; the peace has flown away to another dimension. I assumed that was a fluke gunshot and went back to the bed. The lights were turned off, and I'm back in black. As soon as I close my eyes, the door was being pounded very loudly. A faint and muffled is accompanied by the pounding.

"Help me! Let me in!" That is what I heard. The voice sounded very familiar. In fact, I am having a bit of demonic daydreams just by thinking about it. I opened the door, slowly and ever so slowly to avoid the dreaded friction noise that could wake Yuyuko up without a doubt. I then tiptoed down the stairs and to the door.

"Let me in!" The voice continued to holler.

"They are coming for me!" The voice is now even louder.

I had no choice to stop the racket, but to open the door. It was Keine, and I can observe two suspicious looking teenagers closing in. I dragged her inside, slammed the door, and moved the bookshelf to block it.

"Oh thank you! I could…" She thanked me, but I then put my hand over her gob so she can't wake Yuyuko up. She seemed to be a really heavy sleeper, I mean really… What she can do best is eat, and sleep.

Keine then repelled my hand away.

"Cant you see Yuyuko is asleep?"

"Yuyuko is living in your house? Strange…"

I gave her a semi-rude hush to quiet her down just so in case that the stalkers would not hear it. Then, louder banging noises were heard at the door, and the bookshelf started to rattle as well, which poses a worry, because these teenagers are the most skeptical and enigmatic of all the people living on the moon (Which is 98% Human, and 2% Lunarian. How did humans end up here? I don't really know. It is not the space age yet.) The knocking and pounding stopped, and Keine's eyes where shot open, with her mouth agape.

"It's over… For now…"

"For now…?" She muttered. "Do you believe what they have done to me?"

"Ok, let's go downstairs and have real talk."

"Good, I don't want anybody to know."

I dragged the human Keine downstairs. Once the light is turned on, the room was just a stone room, with a fireplace and a single couch and coffee table. Keine called shotgun on the dusty couch. I Then started interrogating her as I paced around the couch.

"So, what exactly happened? Why did you come here in the midst of the night?"

"It's because… It's a long story…"

"I don't care… I'd like to hear it as much as you do every time."

"It all started when I smell fumes and heat when I woke up. As I perked open my eyes, my whole room was on fire. And worst of all, I can smell a hint of methane coming from the carpet. The doors were blocked by the fire, and so as the windows. So, I had to risk going out the window."

"So this explains your charred, discoloured skirt. Hmm… Probably karma." I remarked.

"Karma?" She asked.

"Yes… You remember that time you abused me… That road rash; that attempted ramming! It all happened when the devil of ya emerged!"

"Oh… Yea… I apologize about that… It was my emotions taking full control of that… I was not aware…"

"It's cool. It's normal psychology… Your brain has a threshold of how much emotion it can cope, and it seemed to spill over. So… Get on with the story."

"I escaped the house in search of a new settlement. But none can be found since the people screamed and shouted at me in order to repel me away from their foundations. Once guy called me a Hobo, and that did not help. I thought of plan B, which is your house. Somebody is willing to let me in, which is you, personally. I walked out of the city and into this… badly refurbished suburb…"

"Tell me about it… This suburb looks of elegance and tranquility on the left, and filth and scums on the left which contains uncivilized, primordial-acting, and chauvinistic scums who loves to be magnetized by wealth. That is my analogy."

"Ha… I like how you described your bad part of the neighborhood. Speaking of that… When I got to your house, I was pursued by two odd and shifty looking guys."

"Of course they would do that… They have done it to me too. That is where the stab wound on my back came from."

"Them people that I was stalked by?"

"I don't remember faces that well."

"Well, continuing on and finishing up, I ran to the front door of your house, and that is why I was yelling so frantically, so I couldn't get stabbed. I mean if I was in my alter ego… They are done with immediately."

"…And perhaps started to add me to your hitlist."

She immediately uttered. "Hell, I wouldn't do that…"

"I'm just joking… So… Is that all the hell you have been through?"

"Yes, I have."

"Hmm… That seems typical of anarchy… Oh wait! Today is Christmas day! Oh! What a tremendous day to go outside and get our bodies shredded by delinquents…"

"Christmas day… I lost track of the calendar…"

"It is. It is going to be rough. I am going upstairs to sleep more. You can quietly stay here. Just don't wake us two up."

She replied with an Okay, and I went upstairs quietly. I took a glance at the clock, and the two hands was pointed dead upwards. I went back to my bed, and peeped out the window again. All is calm, but I don't believe it. Maybe something might be happening in the more distant sectors of this suburb. I may never know how bad is this going to be. The bed was a perfect place to plan and rethink metacognitive stuff, and the most important thing: Going to sleep.

Again, I woke up to the natural light provided by the sun, but this time, someone started to knock on the bedroom door.

"Wake up…! I know you are." Yuyuko's voice is what came to my mind. I stood up with my chaotic hair from sleep. The hair make people think that I have been maimed and roughened up during the night, which is obviously impertinent in the first place. I went ahead—ignored my chaotic hair—and opened the door. Yuyuko was standing there, but with a sense of pain.

"Hey… Would you mind telling me what's wrong? Why are there glass shards on my face this morning and on my clothes…? And they are still stinging me." Yuyuko said as she desperately tried to fiddle around to get some glass fragments out.

"I'll investigate." I headed out and down to the living room, where the floor is glistening and sparkling with broken glass, and accompanied by a mahogany colored brick. Someone must've done this just to piss us off, or they've might done this so they can have a crack at stealing our stuff… It's all ambiguous.

Yuyuko still seemed to be in pain of fiddling around all over her body.

"Yuyuko, go into my room, lock the door, bar up the window and take off all of your clothes, there might be shards that might be bothering you beneath your garments." Yuyuko comprehended it and did what I told her to do. I went downstairs to check on Keine, who appears to be still sleeping. All problems are settled with her. I don't hate her or anything, it was a big misunderstanding. Yuyuko then came out of the room all dressed in normal and looking all alleviated.

"I told you it will work…" I said to her. I then organized my hair and grabbed my coat.

"Where are you going?" Yuyuko came down the stairs.

"Going to get some grub…"

"Ok, just be safe…"

"Oh really… Thanks… If I make it…" I said goodbye to her, and closed the door behind me. I looked at the nonexistent window that was destroyed while I was sleeping. I walked along the small path out to the road. Already, things look a little unpleasant. There were splotches of dark red and outlines of human cadavers drawn on the road with chalk. I stelthly went walked into the city limits, and it was already a whole new place when entering Campus and Central. It is now renovated, higher class houses, and some shops that have not open yet. I walked straight and headed to the coffee shop to get some bagels. Disgusted by the sight of a mile long line, I still had to queue in order to tame my belly. The first problem is that all I see in the lines is pickpocketing, and that led to three fistfights that I have witnessed. It was very gruesome for me to handle, but I had to stomach it. Speaking of stomach, they ran out of bagels, but they still got donuts! Better to eat something than nothing… I came out of the shop without any to take home. That is because since Keine is in the house, she can whip up some kebabs to grill.

I then went back home, only to be interrupted by a trip to a bar. I requested for some vodka and handed over some coins. I looked around and saw some guys chatting with each other, and a average girl sitting in isolation wearing a backpack. While waiting, I went outside to visit the post office next to the bar, but it was closed. So, I went back to see my concoction sat on the table. The guys then started to stare at me for no reason at all. Is it because of my looks? I really hope not.

Things started to get real queer. I took a drink of vodka, and the taste was slightly off, but it was bearable. The rest of it seemed fine to me until I finished the glass and walked out. Right before I got to the door, I suddenly lost all of my energy, and got really dizzy and weak… I remember collapsing, and after that… I couldn't recall anything.

"Hey, Lyra! Wake up!" Some female voice came a shouting to me. I opened my eyes, and felt very painful and dodgy… I don't know where the pain came from… Then, she shook me to see if I was responding.

"Ok! Please stop… It hurts when you… gaahhh…" I was in immense pain afterwards.

Anyways, when my brain got together, the voice was a little recognizable.

"Come on, girl! Stand up!" I struggled to stand up, but she aided me to an erect position. Then, she rotated me to face her.

Suprisingly, it took me a while to piece it all together. The girl is Nitori, the Engineering teacher who was supposedly my enemy. She tries to beat me with a hammer every time. Damn, remembering that horrid past makes me shiver with fear. I did back off a little to see if her antics are still present.

"Don't you remember me? I'm Nitori! I've changed, honest!"

"Are you sure?" I confirmed her.

"Yes. It's been 14 years, and I realized that I should resolve my problems. I did, so I guess all people change at some point of their lives." She then kept throwing and catching a monkey wrench.

"Well, I guess I don't have to worry about that…" She smiled. "Well, basically… What happened to me?"

"Well… It was kind of gruesome… Where your injuries and gashes came from, it was really scary sight."

"Gruesome or not, I want to know the truth. I demand the truth. I live off the truth."

"Well… It may startle you but… They smashed their glass bottles, and took shards of glass. The ran to you and started lashing you with glass shards while you were unclocious. Oh! That reminds my how you were knocked out. You have been drinking vodka, but with something called …rohipnol… [Sic] I then saw one guy take out your wallet. So I ran up to them and wrenched them out cold."

"Oh, here is your wallet back." She went into her backpack and grabbed my wallet with square patterns on it.

"Wow… I guess enemies do help each other out in the long run…" I said as I placed my wallet in my coat pocket.

"Here, drink some of this… It will make you heal quicker." She then grabbed a glass and synthesized up some water. I drank the water, and it was crisp and clear. Just as I expected it.


End file.
